Rails in Transition – All Aboard Series – PBS
Green Frog Productions
Format: DVD Length: 30 minutes
Time Period: 1960’s – 1970’s
Locations: Strasburg, St. Louis area, Washington D.C., Horseshoe Curve, Chicago
Sources: Jerry Carson, Rob McCormack
PBS All Aboard Series with Howard Goodwin.
Howard Goodwin opens up from The Strasburg Railroad. Jerry Carson filmed six railroads around St. Louis. Begins with a visit to Strasburg Railroad Museum , a look at their steam train. Producer John M. Koch talks about riding the Grand Trunk to college, in the early 1950’s. He’ll visit some , later in the show.
We move onto St. Louis and the films that Jerry Carson shot. Venice Yard. Gulf, Mobile & Ohio has an Alco S-2. Some black & white shows GMO GP35’s, S3 and a N&W train passing, and more, some in the fog. Back to color. A brace of classic F3A units arrive. Early 70’s Amtrak with GM&O E7’s.
Norfolk & Western locomotives in the blue, hamburger logo scheme. Gp9’s from Wabash and Nickel Plate, they’re repaints along with a low hood U25B ( should be ex: Wabash) and a pooled Erie Lackawanna Alco C425 at the yard.
A sudden leap to Washington! A Pennsylvania GG1 runs light. Horseshoe Curve with Penn Central.
Missouri Pacific shops at St. Louis. Action with MoPac and C&EI, buzzsaw logos.
Alton & Southern Alco RS2, SW1500 , and doesn’t that paint scheme, look like a Chicago & Northwestern knock-off?
Manufacturers Railway switching fleet shown, adjacent to Anheuser Busch property.
Frisco includes an FM switcher. all red & white locomotives.
Howard is back, riding the rails at Straburg.
This is another good program in the All Aboard Series. Being that there is a full length version, from Green Frog, that may be the way to go on this one. I will review that train video. This would be a nice one for youngsters, as it moves quickly from one road to the next. A benefit of this PBS version is to have the old heads, like John Koch and Frank Kyper discuss the old days.
Rating 3 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 